The range of the Makerarm's capabilities is almost unbelievable, and calling it a "3D printer" simply doesn't do it justice. Yes, it can 3D print — with both the filament and resin methods — but swap out the tool head attached to its programmable arm and it becomes a light-duty miller and carver, or a laser-engraver. Swap it out again and it can print custom circuit boards. Once more, and it can assemble the components on those boards. Use the variety of suction cups, grippers and magnets and it can assemble whole projects, then throw on the screwdriver head and it can fasten them all together. Pair it with another Makerarm, and they can work in concert to do all those things but bigger.

Yup, the Makerarm does just about everything, to the point that you can build an entire custom laptop computer without needing any other tools — and it does all that for only $2200 (the price with a complete set of tool heads). As if that weren't enough, the arm itself is maker-friendly, and includes a hardware development kit for building custom tool heads. It's not a 3D printer but a general-purpose robotic arm, and the savings in both money and space for an avid hobbyist is staggering. Someone with a limited budget and a small workshop no longer has to make that tough choice between 3D printing, milling, laser engraving and PCB printing — all of which are available as reasonably affordable desktop devices, but no more than two of which have been combined before. The ability to actually assemble projects piece by piece is just icing on the metaphorical cake — and the ability to swap in a food-friendly head and print with confections is icing on the literal cake.

The Bad

The Makerarm is only in the working prototype phase, and that means there's still the question of just how well it really does all these things. That's something serious makers will have to determine after they get their hands on the device, so not everyone is going to want to jump on the Kickstarter right away. It's probably fair to guess that it won't match the quality of standalone devices for every function, but it appears poised to exceed at least some of them, and as long as it's capable the price tag will make it an appealing alternative to an array of individual tools.

The Controllable

In the past I've bemoaned other tools that can only be controlled by proprietary software and, worse still, only on iOS or Android — a limitation that I think puts such devices somewhere on the border between "hobby" and "toy" in the minds of serious makers. The Makerarm's approach is different and much better all-around, though not without drawbacks: its custom control software is web based, which means it's completely platform-agnostic (good) but also tied to the cloud and the Makerarm website (less good). However, it's also mercifully not reliant on its own software, and works with other CAD/CAM/CAE tools — it even comes with a one year subscription to AutoDesk Fusion 360. Given this, and the fact that the arm itself is trainable and scriptable, and the fact that people can build new tool heads for it, I think the Makerarm's already-impressive list of functions is in fact just the beginning.

Reader Comments

I love seeing all the high tech toys and tools coming from kickstarter projects.

I hate seeing all the app-based and cloud-hosted controls that ultimately leave them entirely hostage to future bankruptcy, sell-outs or "brand revitalizing" efforts that turn free to paid or functional to bricked.

There is no reason to force a smart lightbulb to dial out to a server in spain just to receive commands from your living room.

All that said, this thing looks like a lot of techy fun. It's too bad that the cloud is inserted so rudely between the maker and the device.

Bootstrap precurser

Someday you will be able to send some small device possibly as small as an ant queen and have it find resources, build the needed machines that will continue the process and end up with a ready to occupy space industry.

Please, No Proprietary Software

Re:

Agreed. I hate this "web" and "cloud" based crap they insist on shoving down our throats. My company lab would benefit greatly from this device, everything mentioned we currently do or have interest in doing. One device that can do all that at that price I can easily see purchasing. I do not give a damn about using a damn web browser or a damn cloud whatever, or Android or iPhone to control it. KISS. 'Nuff said.